New Delhi, Feb 8: Veteran social activist Anna Hazare on Saturday said that the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) “ill-intentions” in Delhi Assembly elections and their missteps have led to their current trailing position.
He pointed to the controversy surrounding the liquor policy as a key factor and said that AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal became “infamous” due to the liquor policy case and his “greed for money.”
Two hours into the counting, early trends indicate that the BJP is on its way to making a historic comeback, with the Opposition party surging ahead of the AAP, which had reduced the BJP to single-digit scores in the previous election but has now taken a big hit.
The current AAP government’s term witnessed a massive uproar over corruption allegations related to Delhi’s now-scrapped liquor policy. The BJP had accused the Arvind Kejriwal government of “turning Delhi into a city of drunkards” after the new policy introduced ‘Buy 1 Get 1 free’ offers on liquor bottles.
Speaking to reporters on the early trends of the election results, Hazare said, “Because of liquor policy and their greed for wealth and money, due to which, he (Kejriwal) become infamous.”
“The people also realised that on the one hand, he (Kejriwal) talks about good character and on the other hand, he promotes liquor. This is why he got fewer votes in the elections,” he further remarked.
On the charges against Kejriwal and other senior AAP leaders, Anna Hazare said, “In politics, allegations and counter-allegations are common. However, when faced with accusations, it is essential to demonstrate to the public that these allegations are false and must be proven otherwise. The truth remains the truth, and a lie is always a lie. Therefore, it is important to pursue the path of truth in these matters.”
“Kejriwal became selfish, and he did not understand it. He went down the wrong path and is now on the way to a downfall,” he added. Meanwhile, the BJP is leading the charts with 46 seats, while the AAP is seen leading in 24 seats, according to the early trends of the Election Commission of India (ECI).
In the New Delhi Assembly seat — a three-cornered contest featuring AAP national convener and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, BJP’s Parvesh Verma, and Congress candidate Sandeep Dikshit — Kejriwal is seen trailing while Verma is leading in what is being described as a see-saw fight.
Key AAP candidates, including Atishi from Kalkaji and Saurabh Bhardwaj from Greater Kailash, are also reported to be trailing behind BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri and Sikha Rai, respectively. As the counting continues, the final outcome of the Delhi Assembly elections is eagerly awaited, with significant implications for the future political landscape of the national Capital.
IANS